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Este: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Padova, Veneto. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Este

The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.

For example: Via Deserto 1, Este.

Este, walled town at the foot of the Euganean Hills

Where the Euganean Hills drop into the plain south of Padua lies Este, its centre still enclosed by the walls of the Carrara family's castle, now a public garden. The town is home to the National Atestino Museum, which holds finds from the ancient Veneti, who had one of their main settlements here.

Buyers will find houses and old palazzi in the centre, often needing renovation, residential districts on the plain, and villas and farm buildings on the lower slopes inside the Euganean Hills Regional Park. On the hills, park and landscape rules apply and should be checked before planning any work or extension. The railway between Monselice and Mantua stops in the town, and Padua is reached via Monselice.

The population is falling and ageing. At the end of 2023 Este had 15,933 residents, down 3.9% since 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office; the estimated average age is 49.0 against 46.5 in the province, and over-65s make up 28.6%. Foreign residents account for 8.8%. Services, though, are those of a local hub: 17 schools and 15 healthcare sites on record, both above the provincial rate per resident, and plenty of sports facilities.

Este is in seismic zone 3, like 88 other municipalities in the province of Padua, and expected ground acceleration is low, about 0.068 g. In the old palazzi, the state of roofs, masonry and damp matters more, and in 1960s and 1970s blocks, energy efficiency.

Plain and hills bring different hazards: flooding along the canals in the lower part, landslides and steep ground on the slopes. The report checks them for the exact address and finds the plot on the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps.

Key points

  • Carrara walls and Atestino Museum below the Euganean Hills.
  • Down 3.9% since 2011, over-65s at 28.6%.
  • Regional park rules apply to houses on the hills.
  • Seismic zone 3, low acceleration, about 0.068 g.

Overview

Este is a municipality in the province of Padova, in Veneto. At the end of 2023 it had 15,933 residents, among the most populous in the province (10 of 101).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Este is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (89 of 101) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.068 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

Even in zone 3, seismic standards apply to new buildings: for an older building, ask about the design year and any structural work.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 3.9%. The estimated average age is 49 years, higher than the province average (47). 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 8.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Este declared an average taxable income of 25,795 euros, in line with the province (26,932 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Este is in climate zone E, with 2,436 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 October to 15 April, for up to 14 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 15 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Este has 17 schools and 5 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 9 grocery shops and supermarkets, 15 healthcare facilities, 25 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.6 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.4).

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 22.9% of the land in Este, compared with 18.7% in the province and 11.9% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Este is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Veneto in 2025. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Official databases list 21 contaminated sites, or sites still under investigation, in Este, and 9 more have been cleaned up or closed. The report tells you whether one is close to the address.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Este: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.

House prices

The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.

Land registry

The cadastral maps for Este are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.

Liveability area by area

The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 130 inhabited census areas in Este. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 64 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 5.0%
  • fair 52.6%
  • good 42.4%

Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.

The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out

Data sources

ISTAT code 028037. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.